Knighten's Big Day Pushes OU to Victory

Friday, February 19

Las Cruces, N.M.

5:00 PM

University of Oklahoma

New Mexico State

Knighten's Big Day Pushes OU to Victory

February 19, 2016 | Softball

By: Karl Anderson

New Mexico State

^14/10 Oklahoma

Box Score

Audio Highlights

Inning-by-Inning
Team	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	R	H	E
OU	0	3	3	4	1	x	x	11	11	0
NMSU	0	0	1	0	0	x	x	1	4	6

Pitching
?	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
W - Parker (2-1)	5.0	4	1	1	0	8
L - Donisthorpe (3-1)	3.2	7	7	3	1	1
S - N/A	-	-	-	-	-	-

Individual Leaders
?	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	HR
OU - Knighten	4	3	3	5	0	1
NMSU - Reedy	2	1	1	1	0	1

Game Notes
Oklahoma now leads the all-time series against New Mexico State, 19-3 ... among teams its faced at least 20 times, OU's .864 winning percentage against NMSU is fourth best ... during their five game winning streak, the Sooners have outscored opponents 48-7 ... the win was OU's second via run-rule this season ... Shay Knighten set career highs in hits (3), runs scored (3) and RBI (5) and hit the first double and home run of her career ... she joins Nicole Pendley and Lea Wodach (both in 2015) as the only OU freshmen to have at least five RBI in a game since the start of the 2013 season ... the five RBI were the most by an OU player since Georgia Casey also had five against Arkansas on April 8, 2015 ... as a starter, Paige Parker has allowed just two earned runs in 17.1 innings, good for a 0.81 ERA ... the six errors made by NMSU were the most by an OU opponent since UMKC also had six on March 15, 2010.

Game Notes

Oklahoma now leads the all-time series against New Mexico State, 19-3 ... among teams its faced at least 20 times, OU's .864 winning percentage against NMSU is fourth best ... during their five game winning streak, the Sooners have outscored opponents 48-7 ... the win was OU's second via run-rule this season ... Shay Knighten set career highs in hits (3), runs scored (3) and RBI (5) and hit the first double and home run of her career ... she joins Nicole Pendley and Lea Wodach (both in 2015) as the only OU freshmen to have at least five RBI in a game since the start of the 2013 season ... the five RBI were the most by an OU player since Georgia Casey also had five against Arkansas on April 8, 2015 ... as a starter, Paige Parker has allowed just two earned runs in 17.1 innings, good for a 0.81 ERA ... the six errors made by NMSU were the most by an OU opponent since UMKC also had six on March 15, 2010.

LAS CRUCES, N.M. ? Behind a career day from freshman Shay Knighten, the No. 14/10 Oklahoma softball team (5-2) pushed its winning streak to five games with an 11-1, five-inning win over host-New Mexico State (5-1) Friday night at the Troy Cox Classic in Las Cruces, N.M.

A native of Buena Park, Calif., Knighten was 3-4 at the plate with three runs scored and five runs batted in. Among her three hits were the first double and first home run of her career. Knighten entered the game 2-9 on the season with one run scored and one RBI.

The five runs driven in by Knighten were the most by a Sooner since Georgia Casey had the same total against Arkansas last year on April 8. Knighten joins fellow teammates Nicole Pendley and Lea Wodach as the only OU freshmen to have at least five RBI in a game since the start of the 2013 season. Pendley and Wodach both accomplished the feat last season.

Freshmen actually accounted for eight of OU's 11 hits against the Aggies. In addition to Knighten's three hits, Fale Aviu and Sydney Romero each had two, while Caleigh Clifton added one.

Sophomore Paige Parker earned the win to improve to 2-1 on the season. She struck out eight batters with no walks and allowed just four hits, one of which was a home run.

Parker lowered her ERA from 2.05 to 1.88 with her performance. In four starts this year, she's allowed just two earned runs in 17.1 innings for a 0.81 ERA.

Oklahoma capitalized on six New Mexico State errors as five of the 11 runs were unearned. It was the most errors committed by an OU opponent since UMKC also had six on March 15, 2010.

The Sooners improved to 19-3 all-time against the Aggies. Among teams they've played at least 20 times, the .864 winning percentage in the series is fourth best all-time for OU.

After being held scoreless in the first inning for just the second time this season, Oklahoma scored three runs in both the second and third innings.

With one out and one on in the second, Knighten grounded into a fielder's choice that was initially misplayed by NMSU shortstop Haley Nakamura then thrown away, allowing Knighten and Romero to move into scoring position. Two batters later, Clifton singled to center field to score both runners, including Knighten who touched the plate just before being tagged. A bunt single by sophomore Kelsey Arnold pushed Clifton to second before Aviu hit an RBI single to make it 3-0.

In the third inning, senior Kady Self reached with one out after Nakamura's third error of the game. Romero followed with a double before Knighten drove both in with a single. Later in the inning, Arnold drove in Knighten to make it 6-0 in OU's favor.

New Mexico State got its lone run with a leadoff homer in the bottom of the third, but OU responded with a four-run fourth.

With two on, Self hit an RBI single to right field. Romero then hit a sacrifice fly to left field, while Knighten followed with a two-run homer to left center.

Oklahoma added one final run in the fifth inning as Knighten picked up RBI No. 5 with a double to center field, scoring senior Paris Townsend.

The Sooners close out play Saturday at the Troy Cox Classic with two more games. Before facing New Mexico State in a rematch at 5:00 p.m. CT, OU takes on Western Michigan at 2:30 p.m. CT.